Local student qualifies to compete at world's largest rodeo

07/10/2017 05:59PM
● By Steven Hoffman

Brittany Coldiron, a junior who lives
in Oxford, has earned a spot on the Maryland National High School
rodeo team that is heading to Gillette, Wyoming to compete at the
69th annual National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR).

The event, which is the world's largest
rodeo, takes places from July 16 to 22. More than 1,750 contestants
from 43 states, five Canadian provinces, and Australia will be
participating in the rodeo events.

Brittany, 16, the daughter of John and
Holly Coldiron, qualified for the national finals by winning first
place in high school barrel racing, pole bending, and reined cow
horse events. She also placed first in light rifle and second in trap
shooting for the Maryland team.

Holly Coldiron said that her daughter
will be competing in the reined cow horse and trap shooting events at
the National High School Finals Rodeo.

Brittany has been riding horses since
she was about five years old, and has been competing in rodeo events
for the last three years.

At the national finals, participants
will be competing for more than $200,000 in prizes and more than
$350,000 in college scholarships, in addition to vying to become an
NHSFR World Champion. To earn this title, contestants must finish in
the top 20 based on their combined times and scores in the first two
rounds to advance to the final round. World champions will then be
determined based on their three-round combined scores and times.

The championship event on Saturday,
July 22 will be televised nationally as part of the Cinch High School
Rodeo Tour telecast series on RFD-TV. Live broadcasts of each NHSFR
performance will also air online at NHSRATV.com. Performance times
are at 7 p.m. on July 16 and 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day after that.
Complete results will be posted each day on NHSRA.com.

According to Holly Coldiron, Brittany
is always looking for new sponsors, either financial sponsors or
product sponsors. Brittany can wear patches or put them on her tack
to promote any business. She can also put advertisements, logos, or
stickers on her horse trailer when she competing—mostly in
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, and New
Jersey. The sponsorships help with the costs associated with the
sport. Each working performance horse can cost up to $500 a month in
feed, supplements, hay, vet bills, farrier bills, and other expenses.